when was the last time a lion asked of another
so what’s he doing these days ?
doing what lions do I guess
being a lion
so what r u doing these days, shekhar ?
doing what human beings do I guess
being human
and destroying the planet
by flying to new york
and taking taxi cabs
for in the scheme of things
does an ant see itself as an individual
with an individual consciousness ?
or a collective ?
and as I walk the streets
everyone trying as hard as they are
myself included
to express their individuality
to know they exist
conflicted as we are
by our need to be a part
and apart both
from the collective
do ants need to do the same thing ?
whats going on in their mind
or wherever their consciousness
or their imagination exists ?
do they merely see, imagine
only the collective
or like us
the collective
through the individual
and do we even enter
their consciousness
except as creatures
that trundle around
unpredictably
without purpose
undecided
between starbucks
and the little cafe’
for a cup of coffee
and looking down
from a galaxy far far away
at this tiny speck of dust
called earth
an ant
a human
one crushed
beneath the others feet
has no significance
other than
the breathing of the universe
between creation and destruction

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24 Responses to “A stray thought”

Very beautiful shekar, well written…reminded me for some reason of the greenathon of NDTV
esp “and destroying the planet
by flying to new york
and taking taxi cabs”
the response was so overwhelming to them…they had hoped for 18 villages and got 60 instead goes to show ppl are willing to give but dont know how to go about it. why does it take an ndtv greenathon for ppl to contribute…I wonder. It is the ease and convenience, the recognition on national tv, the need for name and fame, herd mentality to be part of the crusade..wonder what are the motives of ppl participating in it..of course it is good..something worthwhile being done…just curious.
we might be drop in the ocean but like Mother Theresa said the ocean would be less because of the missing drop.

Sir,
Someone said “Chinti ke Pug me Nupoor Baaje, Woh bhi Saahib Sunta hai”!!
In the perspective of the creator of the Universe the ant and the human co-exist in the same plane and habitation so much so that a lion cannot habitat in a home but an ant can.
Well think of an ant as your next pet or an army of pet and feed them with a grain of sugar or Seal them with Wax their communication is impeccable.
Imagine if they get blown by air on our shoulder and sting us, the impulse that makes us crush them without noticing.
Compare Monkeys with the Ravana’s brother KUMBHAKARAN!!
Yes Monkeys do have their own conscious…and look what Hanuman and Aangad did!!
Vinod Agarwal – Black or Red, size doesn’t matter the Sting does.

we humans
are the ants
under the feet
of a greater Force
does it even enter our consciousness
timeless stillness
between the stars
a human
the Eternal
one crushed beneath the others feet
has no significance
other than
the dance of the Universe
of the tandava and lasya
of illusion and enlightenment
of destruction and resurrection

Aaah such a refreshing read! ๐ I for sure think humans go about just like ants it is just the ego that makes them think they are better. However I believe if we reach within like the place you did to write this and do things from that place well it is only then we are unique and different and not marching to a drum.
I’ve never seen the Disney film Ants (I think that is the name) in its entirety but in that film even in an ant colony there was an ant who dared to be different to stand up to the hierarchy etc.
Also I keep saying in my mind I have to write that review on one of my blogs of the little film I saw a few wks back called The Tale of Despereaux and it was about the same thing…this time a mouse and a rat (soulmates perhaps?) who dare to be different! And I’d name the title of the post Gotta see Despereaux! ๐ I also enjoyed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which curiously was about the same thing too! About living our lives to the fullest by not living like automaton like how our cookie cutter society wants us to be but from out hearts.
I’ve mused about this from a different angle a a month or so back Shekhar and I dare to share it with you and your readers here. If you follow this link! ๐http://meadysmusings.blogspot.com/2008/12/our-facesmomentary-pearls-of-universe.html
Love and its pure clear light to you and your readers such a lovely blog you spin! ๐

a 500 legged worm
was enjoying his walk
then someone asked him
how do you manage
to coordinate so many legs
he began to think
and needless to add
forgot how to walk
Any by the way Shekhar
what could be more significant
than being the breath of the universe
what is more significant
than our own breath
it is not creation desctruction
it is ever changing forms
Harb

Hi Shekar,
“Everyone trying as hard as they are myself included to express their individuality to know they exist”. These are seriously powerful words. Never did I think of it this way, never such a thought come into my mind….All I’m doing on this planet is trying my best create my own individuality, just to make sure that people know I do exist on the same planet. Wonderful Shekar….
Sree

My apologies, Isabel.
An ant is not a rebel. Where does rebellion feature in its gene-line! I suspect an upstart ant would be finished off by the queen ant even before she dare think Rebel!Does one ask a run of the mill Chartered or Management accountant what is he up to these days?
The reference being to Mr. Kapoors previous line of work, of course,

Good afternoon Shekhar Bhai
It is nice to read what you type, I wonder suddenly you feel that one ness or impulsive or I dont know but such fine thoughts reverb…
If I can go little away from this there is one favourite poem of Mahatma as he use to like Rabindra Sangeet which I will paste…the translation of Ekla Chalo into English…
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou of evil luck,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,
O thou of evil luck,
trample the thorns under thy tread,
and along the blood-lined track travel alone.
If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,
O thou of evil luck,
with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart
and let it burn alone.
this poem energize me…makes me connect to my true self…Ekla chalo…

i think it is all about proving self worth and existance. by the time we get up we are aware of self and what role it has to play to preserve its self.
be in state of selfless is the state of nirvana where ant, human and god are one.
I liked what Hard said ( Age bhi jane na koye, Pheche bhi jani na koye ! Jo bhi ha bas yahi eak pal ha)

Ants follow us humans to Starbucks. And lions follow us in the human jungle, and of course in the other jungle too!Or is it vice versa?:)
Not to take away from your simple yet deep words, I feel humbled that I know you, truly learn from you much, and hope to strive towards my goal in life with as much sincerity always.
More power to you ๐

Dear Shekhar,
Shouldn’t we be using more and more of video confrencing for globally associated work.While moving around on planes and taxis in case of absolute need or leisure only.
How’s the Idea?
Less on pollution.
Less on jetlags and wear and tears.
Less on expenditure.
More on time and energy for creative and required work.
Eventually best for Environment and Film making and making more out of life.
As they say “Stiller the mind greater the work”.That could be one criteria for superhumans.

Sir,
Once I had read three of your poems long back. The essense of them was very close to my heart. unexpectedly, I have just gone trough some of your recent way of expression.This time I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings. since my first reading, I have continuosely been witnessing one and only thing in your writings, that is ‘DANCE”.
so, Iwant to put my wish before you as a viewer.
Why shouldn’t you start to visualise AadiSankara’s’SOUNDARYA LAHARI’ and ‘SIVANANDA LAHARI’? Akira Kurosawa had ‘dreamt’ something representing the colours and sounds of the EAST. Now, this is your time frome the same space!

Between creation and destruction is a life waiting to be lived.
I think ants do a better job of living every moment. Maybe it’s because they live on instinct ? Humans on the other hand have to overcome ignorance before we can really live every moment. And not crush the ant.

The Journey
I always flowed out
like a currency, making you
stand guard, to my entire length of river
till the well dried up, the sands
clogging my cove.
Depleted sap; in and out,
I lay splayed
a desert with a drouth.
The sea, an aqua platina
alloyed, by under-currents
and spilled oil, stood agitated
perhaps waiting for a delta,
to take in his tides.
The tides, the swelling tides
from across the mass of people
makes me an alchemist;
I add chapters to my
book; I flow in now.
June Nandy.ฉ2009.